Mobile phones, bags or briefcases of any description are not permitted to be brought into examination rooms. Any breaches of this requirement will be regarded as misconduct under the University’s Misconduct and Discipline Rules, with appropriate penalties applied.

MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY

MID-YEAR EXAMINATIONS 2008

FINAL EXAMINATION TIMETABLE - All units

You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester which is the final day of the official examination period.

Please note carefully the time and place of your examinations as no special provision may be made for a candidate who does not present for examination at the correct time and place. If you misread the timetable, report immediately to the Academic Program Section (Lincoln Student Services Building Level 4), or if you are a distance education student sitting your examination at an external examination centre, report the circumstances in writing to the Academic Registrar.

Distance education students will be advised in writing of any changes after the issue of the final timetable.

You must show your current student ID card (campus card or other form of current photo ID) to gain entry to your examination and you must display your card on your examination table for the whole of your examination with your signature showing. You will be inconvenienced if you do not have your card with you.

LOCATION OF EXAMINATIONS:

For students sitting examinations at Macquarie University, examination location information can be obtained from the examination timetable website (http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/exam). No information relating to the location of examinations at the University will be supplied by telephone. Separate instructions are issued to distance education students writing examinations in country centres.

IMPORTANT QUALIFICATION FOR AWARD INFORMATION:

All students must notify the University in advance that they are expecting to complete the requirements of their program of study and take out their award (degree/diploma/certificate). THIS PROCESS IS NOT AUTOMATIC. If you do not notify the University in advance, there can be delays in your qualifying and subsequently graduating. Undergraduate students – please go to http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/Sections/APS/Homepage/index.html and click on the link to I Expect to Complete my Undergraduate Program and follow the instructions. Postgraduate coursework students can find the relevant expectation to complete form on the following webpage: http://www.student.mq.edu.au/ses/expecttocomplete.htm
Please note that your qualification status will not be confirmed until after the results are released on 15 July 2008.

COMMUNICATION OF RESULTS/UNIT RESULT NOTIFICATIONS:

All unit result information and details regarding eligibility to graduate can be obtained from the eStudent website (https://student1.mq.edu.au) from Tuesday, 15 July 2008. The University does not issue paper-based result notifications to students except for those students who qualify for an award. If you wish to change the address to which advice regarding eligibility to graduate is to be sent, you must amend your address by accessing the eStudent website (https://student1.mq.edu.au), by no later than 13 July 2008.

UNAVOIDABLE DISRUPTION – REQUEST FOR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION:

If you are prevented by unavoidable disruption from attending an examination, or your performance at an examination is substantially affected by illness or other cause during or immediately prior to the examination, report the circumstances in writing to the Academic Registrar no later than five working days after the date of the examination for the unit for which you are seeking special consideration. All requests for special consideration must be submitted by no later than 5pm on 26 June 2008. Requests for special consideration in units that do not have a formal examination must also be submitted by no later than 5pm on 26 June 2008. If you seek special consideration, you must:

1. complete the Request for Special Consideration form (available from the Academic Program Section or from the Macquarie web page at the following address: http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html);
   
2. indicate the unit(s) for which consideration is requested;
3. set out the nature and causes of the disruption to your studies and indicate relevant dates;
4. supply an original Professional Authority Form (available from the Academic Program Section or from the Macquarie web page at the following address: http://www.reg.mq.edu.au/academic-index.html), or other appropriate evidence of illness or misadventure. You must attach the originals of all documents. If you do not provide a Professional Authority Form you must ensure that any medical certificate or other documentation provides answers to the questions asked in the Professional Authority Form. Your request for special consideration may not be processed if this information is not provided;
5. additionally, supply one copy of the Request for Special Consideration form and Professional Authority Form or other appropriate evidence of illness or misadventure for each of the Divisions in which you are undertaking units for which special consideration is being sought. You must also supply one copy for your Division of Registration;
6. be available for supplementary testing at the time chosen by the examiner which may not be fixed until after results have been released.

Absence from a special examination at the time chosen by the examiner may lead to failure in the unit. If you are planning to be overseas you should note that all incomplete grades and special examinations must be resolved by 30 August 2008. Students who have requested special consideration should check the website of the relevant Division or contact the Division office for further details regarding the date and time of special examinations.

EXAMINATION RULES:

These are listed on pages 43-44 of the Handbook of Undergraduate Studies 2008 and on page 145 of the Handbook of Postgraduate Studies 2008.  You are reminded that no writing of any kind is permitted until permission has been given by the supervisor.  You must cease writing immediately when instructed to do so.  Failure to follow any instruction given by an examination supervisor or breach of any examination rule may result in disciplinary proceedings against you.

You are strongly advised not to bring any bags or briefcases on the day of the examination. You are not permitted to take bags or briefcases of any description into an examination area. The University has made arrangements for the following areas to be staffed by a member of the Security Office during examinations: Mason Theatre (for exams in the eastern area of the campus) and Macquarie Theatre (for exams in the central and western area of the campus). Students may deposit bags in these rooms. Note: Macquarie Theatre will not be open for depositing bags on the afternoon of Tuesday, 24 June 2008 and on the morning of Wednesday, 25 June 2008 and as a result all bags should be deposited in Mason Theatre. All bags, briefcases or other property are deposited at the owner’s risk and the University will not be responsible for loss or damage of any description to property so deposited. Mobile phones are not permitted to be brought into examination rooms. Students found in possession of a mobile phone in an examination room may be expelled from the University. You may take small money purses only into examination rooms. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BAGS OUTSIDE THE EXAMINATION ROOM - THIEVES ARE ACTIVE ON THE CAMPUS.

Calculators may not be used in examinations except where permission is given in a particular paper. Random checks of calculators being used during an examination may be carried out. Students found to be using illegal calculators may be subject to disciplinary action. Standard translation dictionaries may be used in examinations except where the use of dictionaries is specifically prohibited. You should check with the Lecturer in Charge of any unit you are undertaking if you wish to bring a dictionary into an examination room. Dictionaries no longer need to be brought to the Academic Program Section prior to the examination. Random checks of dictionaries being used during an examination may be carried out.

UNAVOIDABLE DISRUPTION – DEFINITION:

Academic Senate has adopted the definition of unavoidable disruption set out below which is relevant in the administration of the Program Rules relating to:

• requirements to complete a unit;
• the award of special examinations;
• discontinuance of a unit.

Unavoidable disruption to studies is defined as resulting from an event or set of circumstances which -

(a) could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
(b) were beyond the student's control; and
(c) caused substantial disruption to the student's capacity for effective study and/or the completion of required work; and
(d) interfered with the otherwise satisfactory fulfillment of unit or program requirements.

Circumstances routinely encountered by students would not normally be acceptable grounds for claiming unavoidable disruption to studies. Such matters include:

(a) routine demands of employment;
(b) routine family problems such as domestic tension with or between parents, spouses, and other people closely involved with the student;
(c) difficulties adjusting to University life, to the self-discipline needed to study effectively, and the demands of academic work;
(d) stress or anxiety associated with examinations, required assignments or any aspect of academic work;
(e) routine need for financial support;
(f) demands of sport, clubs and social or extra-curricular activities.

Any claim based on these categories would need to show clearly, with appropriate documentation, that the student's particular circumstances were so extreme, individually or in combination, as to warrant consideration.

Except in the case of applications for special examinations, as outlined in the Program Rules, it must also be shown that the alleged disruption seriously interfered with the student's studies to the extent that had it not occurred, he or she would in all likelihood have given a satisfactory performance.

For the purpose of the administration of the Program Rules, Academic Senate will treat as unavoidable disruption cases where the student has been prevented from attending an examination for the following reasons:

(a) as a member of the armed forces involved in compulsory exercises;
(b) as a person in full-time employment required to be overseas by his or her employer;
(c) as a person representing Australia at an international sporting or cultural competition.

C M Hawkins
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR                                                                                                                                                 May 2008